Going Out

Norwich to feature in Olympic art

The 2012 Olympics will be shadowed by a range of major cultural events, including in this region a major community film project that will get its premiere at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. SIMON PARKIN reports.

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There may still be more than two years to go, but already the starting pistol has already been fired on plans for the major arts and cultural programme that will run alongside the London 2012 Olympics.

The good news for this region is that Norwich will be the location for one of 12 new regional arts projects that will form part of a Cultural Olympiad planned for the run-up to the games.

The Cultural Olympiad will co-ordinate the opening and closing ceremonies at the London games, as well as local and regional events.

Set up to showcase Britain's arts and culture, the four-year programme will in total comprise 500 events designed to involve and inspire people at home and abroad. The scheme was a key factor in London winning the bid to host the Olympics.

As well as national events, including a Shakespeare festival, 12 arts projects have been chosen to represent each of the UK regions to run alongside the sporting events in 2012.

In this region, the Arts Council and London 2012 have announced that it is a project called On Landguard Point by the Suffolk-based Pacitti Company that has been selected and given a £500,000 commission.

On Landguard Point, was selected by an independent panel of artists and producers from the five projects shortlisted in August from a total of 115 regional entries.

Artist Robert Pacitti's winning idea is a mass public research around notions of home. A series of large-scale participatory, outdoor events will accumulate to become a community feature film. The events will take place across the region, including across Norfolk, and explore key themes of trade, defence and migration.

The final film, On Landguard Point, will be the centre-piece premiere at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival in May 2012, followed by multiple screenings across the region before gaining international distribution.

Robert Pacitti, who has a track record of nearly two decades producing and touring award-winning radical new performance artworks involving theatre makers, live artists, visual artists, sound and film makers, said: “It is absolutely thrilling to be part of artists taking the lead. On Landguard Point is a huge, exciting project; to now be able to make it with, and for, the people of the East - to then share it with the world - is a tremendous privilege. It's going to be great!”

Highlights of the project will include a large number of striking and unusual events. Among those already announced are at Landguard Fort, near Felixstowe, site of the last successful defence of England; an entire street being painted black to use as a stage and marketplace for culture; 205 black flags being flown around the coast, which then become replaced by those of the 205 participating Olympic countries; four huge feasts, each for 1000 people, serving food from all of the 205 countries; and a touring exhibition of ephemera in disused shops across the region.

Robert is already working with a stellar line-up of collaborators, including the internationally renowned composer Michael Nyman, top choreographer Wayne McGregor, and a number of regional and international artists.

At all of the events, large numbers of local people will be involved as participants and audience, including everyone from brass bands to free runners to kite flyers.

The project will also aim to provide a training ground for disengaged young people, with local participants shadowing professionals in all areas of the production.

Andrea Stark, executive director, Arts Council England East, said: “Artists taking the lead provides the opportunity for great art to take centre stage in the run up to the 2012 Games.

“On Landguard Point will help to redefine what public art is and encourage new audiences to enjoy the arts. At all stages, the active involvement of individuals and communities will be key to its success. I would also like to congratulate the four other shortlisted entries; together they demonstrated that the East is a region bursting with great ideas.”

Unveiling all 12 regional winning projects, London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said: “The winning commissions will be the catalyst for a truly national showcase of culture inspired by the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Each project will explore the nation and region's creativity as part of a UK-wide celebration.”

www.pacitticompany.com

www.london2012.com